Shivangi Sinha
One of the first members of the Church of the Lamb of God to be arrested was Vonda White, one of Ervil LeBaron’s wives. She was his tenth wife and stood by him during the early formation of the sect, fully embracing his doctrines and beliefs. However, her involvement in the murder of fellow member Dean Grover West led to her receiving a severe prison sentence. Lifetime’s ‘The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy’ offers a dramatized portrayal of Vonda and the events surrounding the case. It sheds light, through fiction, on her and the life of the thirteenth wife, as well as the circumstances of the crime.
Vonda White Had Four Children When She Became Ervil LeBaron’s Tenth Wife
Vonda White had worked as a preschool teacher before becoming involved with The Church of the Firstborn of the Fulness of Times in the mid-1950s. At the time, she was already a mother to four children—Craig, Audrey, Evelyn, and Janet—though it remains unclear whether she was married then. In the late 1960s, when Ervil LeBaron broke away to establish the Church of the Lamb of God, Vonda aligned herself with his teachings and chose to follow him. She eventually became his tenth wife and lived according to the strict rules of the polygamist sect. Vonda played a significant role within the church and was entrusted with several of the “missions” dictated by Ervil.
It has been alleged that when Noemi Zarate, a plural wife of Ervil’s father-in-law and an active member of the community, began speaking out against the violence carried out by the group, Ervil marked her for “blood atonement.” This was a doctrine central to the Church of the Lamb of God, which held that individuals who had strayed from God or threatened the church’s authority had to be “cleansed” through death to achieve spiritual redemption. The person reportedly chosen to carry out this sentence was Vonda. According to some accounts, Vonda drove Noemi out into the desert and allegedly shot her there. However, Noemi’s remains were never recovered, and no formal charges were brought against Vonda in connection with the case.
On June 16, 1975, Vonda contacted the police and reported hearing gunshots. At the time, she was residing in National City, California, alongside other members of the Church of the Lamb of God. When authorities arrived at the scene, they discovered Dean Grover West dead, having sustained two gunshot wounds to his back and one to his head. Vonda claimed she had only called the police after hearing the gunfire and denied any involvement. She was brought in for questioning, but due to the lack of solid evidence linking her to the crime, she was released. However, shortly after her release, she disappeared with five of her children. By that time, she had already given birth to a daughter named Mimi with Ervil and was seven months pregnant with their son, Nathan.
Vonda White is Serving Her Long Sentence Today
Soon after her release, Vonda White fled the state and became untraceable for a period of time. However, as the investigation progressed, the police uncovered substantial evidence linking her to the murder of Dean Grover West, including the discovery of the murder weapon. Eventually, authorities received a tip that she was living in Colorado under the alias Susan Katella. She was located and arrested there. Vonda was tried for the crime and convicted of first-degree murder. The court sentenced her to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after seven years. In 1981, when Ervil LeBaron died, he left behind several letters, one of which was addressed to Vonda.
Some reports have suggested that the contents of the letter resembled a suicide pact. By 2007, Vonda had submitted 19 appeals to the parole board, but she remained incarcerated at the California Institution for Women in Chino, California. She filed yet another appeal that was initially granted by the parole board, but it was ultimately overturned by the then-governor. Her defense team argued that she had undergone a complete transformation during her time in prison. They highlighted her participation in various rehabilitation programs and support groups, including Parables of Jesus and Toastmasters, and described her as a model inmate.
Vonda continued to assert that she committed the murder only out of fear for her life and the safety of her children. However, despite these claims, the severity of her crime worked against her. Authorities deemed her actions to be “especially atrocious” and considered her a continuing safety risk to society. As a result, parole was denied. While the most recent details of her status have not been made publicly available, she is believed to be still incarcerated.
Read More: The 13th Wife Escaping Polygamy True Story, Explained
